A simple preparative method for porous hollow-ware stacked cobalt oxides and their catalytic properties

β-Co(OH)2 hollow-ware stacked nanosheets have been synthesized at low temperature (60 °C) through a simple surfactant-free technique. The factors on the formation of the hollowware-like stacked nanosheets have been studied and a possible formation mechanism is proposed. Thermally stable porous Co3O4 with the same morphology was prepared by thermal decomposition of the as-prepared Co(OH)2. The catalytic properties of the porous Co3O4 and Au/Co3O4 are reported.